Absolution
by AlphaGammaSigma
Summary: Can Padmé save the one she loves before darkness consumes him?


Disclaimer: This piece of fiction is written for non-profit entertainment only. Star Wars, and all the characters therein are the intellectual property of George Lucas and Lucasfilm, Ltd.

Tag: Can Padmé save the one she loves before darkness consumes him? - One-shot. Reviews appreciated. This is my first effort at fiction in nearly four years. I may be rusty, but if I can "A" a theology paper, I can do anything.

"Absolution"

A Star Wars Fanfiction

AlphaGammaSigma

-

_~Mustafar, 19 BBY~_

The hellish world loomed through the transparisteel viewports as the Nubian starship emerged from hyperspace. _Mustafar. _It was no wonder that the planet had been chosen by the Separatists as a base of operations. It was out-of-the-way and sparsely inhabited. The gravitational stresses the planet endured kept it in a constant state of volcanic eruption. The magma oceans swayed with the tidal forces that affected the unstable world.

Or, that was the assumption made by Padmé Naberrie-Skywalker as Mustafar grew in size ahead of the approaching ship. Under any normal circumstances, she had no reason to visit such a world. Then again, she had only scattered recollections of normality in her life. For a moment, however, motherly concern took over. The atmosphere was most certainly toxic. Not to the extent of being dangerous to her, but it could affect her child…_their child…she and Anakin's miracle. ANAKIN!_

Padmé's resolve immediately returned as she remembered the reason she had traveled to this wretched backwater of a planet; her Ani was in trouble. Her understanding of the entire situation was unclear. She had noticed the change in Anakin's character over the previous few days, which had troubled her, especially after the nightmare he had on the night of his return from the Outer Rim territories. After the attack on the Jedi Temple and Palpatine's declaration of an empire, she had become even more concerned. But under no possible circumstance could she believe what Obi-Wan had told her:

"…_Padmé, Anakin has turned to the Dark Side."_

_NO! "You're wrong! How could you even say that?!"_

"_I have seen a security hologram of him killing younglings."_

"_Not Anakin! He couldn't." He would never. It can't be him…_

She knew it had to be some sort of mistake. Her Anakin had loved the Order. He had treated every youngling and Padawan as a sibling. That, in and of itself, was the reason she had traveled here. If Obi-Wan and any surviving Jedi believed Anakin was with the Dark Side, they would be relentless in their pursuit of him:

"_You're going to kill him, aren't you?"_

"_He has become a very great threat." _

"We are approaching the planet's atmosphere, Miss Padmé," C-3PO quipped cheerily, "And I have located an energy signal identical to that of a typical Jedi starfighter."

"Thank you, Threepio. Continue on towards the location of the signal." Within a few moments she would have Anakin with her again. He would tell her that Obi-Wan was mistaken. That someone else was responsible. They would then leave this abhorrent world, and find someplace safe to raise their family. _Just a few more minutes._

_-_

_And now, the war is ended. _Anakin had just transmitted the cease-fire instruction to all Separatist forces. It was just another step in securing the galaxy for his Padmé. Even now, the nightmare haunted him. His momentary satisfaction quickly became grief as the memory of that dream surfaced. Padmé had seemed to be in so much pain. He had helplessly watched as she cried out for him. Why could he not save her?

A proximity alarm from a nearby console immediately brought him from his reverie. Clearing his eyes of the tears that had begun to form, Anakin studied the readout. A ship was approaching the landing platform…Nubian. _Why is Padmé here. She was supposed to remain on Coruscant. What if something's happened?_ With that thought, he rushed towards the platform.

The ship was already on the ground, with the entry ramp lowered by the time he neared the platform. He was just ascending the final set of stairs when Padmé emerged, running down the ramp, and towards him. He immediately quickened his pace, closing the final few yards between them in a mere second. Wrapping his arms around her, he held her for a transient moment, making sure she was real before saying anything.

"I saw your ship…"

Through all his conflicting emotions, that was all he could manage to think of saying. He then realized some of the emotions he was feeling were not his own. Padmé was severely distressed. But about what, he could not tell. She called his name, anxiousness flooding her voice. Anakin pulled away slightly, but continued to hold her.

He wanted to soothe her, but without knowing the cause of her distress, there was only so much her could do or say.

When he began to speak, it was in his most calming voice, "It's all right, you're safe now. What are you doing out here?" Padmé had relaxed with his first words, but then tensed again at his query. Something was definitely wrong if it had unnerved his Padmé to a point of such anxiety. He did not have to wait long for her to enlighten him.

"I was so worried about you. Obi-Wan told me terrible things."

"What things?" Anakin replied quickly. His calm had been instantly shattered at her words, anger slowly beginning to take root. Obi-Wan had spoken with her. What had been said to concern Padmé to the point of coming across half the galaxy to find him; for her to have risked their child's safety by coming to this world? He was going to try and remain calm for Padmé while she spoke. His angel did not deserve anything he might say to be harsh…

-

Obi-Wan paced quietly on the lower deck of the ship. Using the Force he tested the mood outside. He did have a job to do. He had to prevent Anakin from causing any more damage. Hopefully, Yoda would be successful in defeating Palpatine. Perhaps the Sith could once again be eradicated before they managed to conquer the galaxy.

He hated having put Senator Amidala in this situation. Part of him said that Anakin would never hurt her. But could the part that cared about Padmé still exist in the mind of a Sith? Could love exist? Perhaps, perhaps not. He would wait and see. Anakin Skywalker, Sith Lord would not be leaving Mustafar as long as Obi-Wan lived, but maybe with Padmé's faith and diligence, Anakin Skywalker, Jedi Knight could.

As long as no violent feelings were directed at Padmé, Obi-Wan would remain here.

-

"He said you've turned to the Dark Side…that you killed younglings."

The words tasted acidic on Padmé's tongue even as she spoke them. Even though she did not believe what she had said herself, they still were painful to speak aloud. They burned her tongue in the same manner as Mustafar's air burned her lungs. She wanted off this world…now. She then noticed anger in Anakin's eyes, presumably at what she had said. But it was gone just as quickly as it had appeared, tenderness returning as he firmly asserted, "Obi-Wan is trying to turn you against me."

He seemed sure about what he had said. She was sure that, just as with her, his trust in Obi-Wan had faltered, but it seemed to go beyond that with him. He had practically accused Obi-Wan of betraying him. "He cares about us." She wanted to believe her statement, but if her husband's trust in his friend and companion of thirteen years had been somehow dissolved, then her faith in Obi-Wan and her defense of him were lessened as well.

Anakin tipped his head. "Us…?"

"He knows…" she replied quietly unsure if she should continue defending the Jedi, "He wants to help you."

Anakin looked away. Disbelief and amusement written on his features. Not against her the authenticity of her meaning, but at the idea that Obi-Wan wanted to help. Or had the power too… She was proved right a split-second later:

"Is Obi-Wan going to protect you? He can't…he can't help you. He's not strong enough. And he wouldn't help me, even if I needed it."

Something seemed wrong with Anakin. She loved him; there was no doubt about that. However, she was not blind to his faults, simply accepting of them. Anakin could be arrogant and reckless at times, yet humble and cautious at others. But, even if he believed himself powerful, as he clearly was, he had never let his arrogance consume him to the point of calling his former master and friend powerless. The sudden need for simple reassurance came upon her.

"Anakin, all I want is your love."

His answer did nothing to ease her growing apprehension, but it did magnify it.

"Love won't save you, Padmé. Only my new powers can do that."

Padmé's mind immediately returned to Obi-Wan words:

"…_the Dark Side."_

She was on the verge of panic now. Had Obi-Wan been right? Had Anakin turned to the Dark Side? Had he been the perpetrator of those atrocities after all? If so, could she redeem him? She had to try. There had to be some way to reason with him, to show him that what he was doing was wrong, and that it would end up consuming him. It would eat away at the good in him until there was noting left. _The good…_

"At what cost?" You're a good person. Don't do this." _Please._

"I won't lose you the same way I lost my mother." _The damned dream! _"I am becoming more powerful than any Jedi has ever dreamed of, and I'm doing it for you. To protect you."

The realization dawned on her, and she had never felt more ill than she did at that moment. Obi-Wan had been right. Anakin had fallen to the Dark Side; he had destroyed the Republic, the Jedi, and had just destroyed the Separatists in an effort to save her from her fate. There was no way to tell whether the dream was prophetic or not until she gave birth, but that was still more than three months away, but Anakin had not taken any chances. The Force was powerful, and she knew enough that it was apparently more so when wielded without control. The Dark Side was the Force without any type of constraint, and Anakin had used it to destroy everything she held dear, including himself.

Padmé swiftly came to loathe the Force, and that Anakin was gifted in its use. The Ani she loved would never do this…except to save the people he loved. How much easier would their lives had been without the Force. No sneaking around, no stolen embraces in the shadows. No having to hide their marriage.

Then again, she probably would have never met Anakin in the first place. Or would have never seen him again after somehow leaving Tatooine. How ironic that the same power that had brought them together was now threateningly close to tearing them apart. If only they could just escape…escape fate…escape everything.

"Come away with me. Help me raise our child. Leave everything behind while we still can."

-

Anakin shook his head. He wanted to make her understand. "Don't you see, we don't have to run anymore. I have brought peace to the Republic. I am more powerful than the Chancellor. I can overthrow him, and together you and I can rule the galaxy. Make things the way we want them to be."

The reaction Anakin had expected never appeared on Padmé's face. In fact a look of horror appeared. This upset him. _Am I getting angry? With Padmé?_

"I don't believe what I'm hearing…Obi-Wan was right. You've changed."

Fury shook through Anakin's body. Had she just sided with Obi-Wan? Was she betraying him for his former master? How could the man he thought of as a father could poison the thoughts of the woman he loved…the women who was his wife…the mother of his children. "What do you mean, 'I've changed'. I've done this all for you. I've done this to save you, to keep you from dying; to keep our child from dying. I'm so powerful, nothing can happen to you."

Though he was still furious with her for doubting him, Anakin was still managing to control himself, part of his mind was telling him to hurt her. He was frightened by this. How could his mind even conjure that thought? This was his angel. _My angel, and I love her. I need her._

"You may be powerful, Anakin. But you can't save me from death. You're causing it."

_What?! NO!_

"No! That's ludicrous Padmé!" How could he be causing her death? He was saving her!

"Is it? Anakin, you're breaking my heart. I love you, that will never change. But in seeking the power to rescue me from a nightmare, you've destroyed everything I care about."

"How can that be? Nothing has changed. Nothing's destroyed. The war is over. The Republic has won. There's no way any harm can come to you." What terrified Anakin more than her words was that the tears in her eyes only a moment ago had now fallen from her eyes, staining her cheeks. And that more were following.

"Anakin! You've killed nearly every Jedi in the Order. Every Padawan, every youngling? Were they guilty of the same treason? How could they be? They were innocent children, Anakin. Children who had the misfortune of being Force-sensitive."

Padmé had started sobbing now. Anakin wanted to comfort her, but when he moved forward, she backed away. He was conflicted now. The same part of him that wanted to hurt her earlier was now angry at her for rejecting his affection. But he suppressed it as best he could. She had said she loved him, and her rejection was not out of malice.

Anakin was still trying to comprehend her statement. She was being ridiculous. All the Jedi were guilty. At least that was what the Chancellor had told him. They were a threat to the security of the Republic. _But what about the younglings? How did mere children threaten the Republic? _Before that voice came up with an answer, Padmé continued:

"…And the Republic is not secure Anakin. It's gone. Did you read the text of Chancellor Palpatine's New Order? What he's created is nothing more than a dictatorship. He's supposed to lead the Senate, not eliminate it! The democracy I worked so hard to fix doesn't even exist anymore."

"But don't you see Padmé, that democracy wasn't working? That the Chancellor's empire can restore peace?"

"I've always wanted peace for the galaxy, Anakin, but not at the end of a sword."

"Then help me overthrow the Chancellor. We can take control of the empire; shape it in the way we want it!" To Anakin's horror, Padmé collapsed to her knees, her form shaking with choked sobs. "Padmé!"

He knelt before her. Her pain beginning to reflect itself on him. "What's wrong?"

"You're power hungry, Anakin. I had thought you were just tricked by Palpatine in joining him…" Another set of sobs stopped her for a moment. "…but you weren't. Everything I've worked for in my life is gone. Everything I've loved has been taken from me, lost, including you."

_No, you haven't._

"I love you, Ani. I don't want to live without you. I know that the honorable man I love is inside you, somewhere. Let him come back. He wouldn't hurt me in the way I'm hurting now. I don't want any of this. I don't want power or security. My safety may be certain, but my life is not. There's no reason for me to go on unless my Anakin comes back…there's no reason for me to live…"

_I'm here, Padmé! Don't give up on me!_

Anakin had no idea what to say. He realized with a tremor, that the dark part of his mind had indeed won. He had hurt Padmé. He had crushed her spirit; her will to live. He had to stop this, before they _both_ became empty shells. In trying to save her, he had become the very cause of the pain from which he had promised to protect her. He pulled her to him quickly, holding on to her for strength. _What have I done?_

"Padmé. Angel, I'm so sorry…"

Anakin only realized now that he, too, had been crying. Because of his pain, because of his angel's pain. And he realized he was the source of it all.

He began to hyper-ventilate.

-

Obi-Wan could sense pain through the Force. From Padmé definitely, but there was pain in Anakin now, as well. _And horror. A Sith doesn't experience horror. _A Sith had no need for it. They didn't regret their actions. There was still a chance for Anakin absolve himself of the darkness, and to wash his hands of the blood he had spilt.

"You're the Chosen One, Anakin. If you can defeat the darkness inside yourself, then just maybe you can still defeat it everywhere else."

Padmé did not protest Anakin's embrace. She had not the strength to fight it, nor did she want to. Even now, his arms still provided her with comfort. She tried to recall the last words he had spoken just now. Was he admonishing her again?

"…_I'm so sorry."_

Wait. He had apologized. Not once had he done that since their conversation took an unpleasant turn. He was shaking, and his breaths were coming up short. He was having trouble breathing. He was panicking…

"Take deep breaths, Ani. Try to relax." Her tears lessened as she moved to relax him. Having him rest his chin on her shoulder, she stroked the back of his head and combed her fingers through his hair.

"How can I relax? After what I've done? I'm a monster. How could I be so blind that I exterminated the Jedi, even the younglings? What kind of husband and father would that make me?"

He pulled back from her, an expression of sorrow on his face. "How can you even still love me?"

"Nothing can stop my love for you, Ani. I can be appalled and horrified by what you've done, but to stop loving you for it is impossible for me. Why do you think I'm in so much pain? You thirst for power has overcome even your love for me. I'm being destroyed inside because I love you so much." She took his face between her hands, forcing him to look her in the eyes. "Come back to me, Ani. We can still have our love. We can still be a family. But you have to give up this power you've created for yourself."

To her surprise, Anakin nodded affirmatively. "If you can forgive me…"

"You don't even have to ask, Anakin." She tried to stand. Immediately, Anakin immediately moved to help her up. "We have to go now. The remaining Jedi are most likely looking for you now."

-

"The remaining Jedi?" Anakin asked uncertainly. Had some escaped his path of destruction? Had Obi-Wan? Only moments ago, he was sure he would have killed his former master without so much as a second thought. But now he needed his forgiveness as much as he needed Padmé's. But would he receive that forgiveness? Would he ever have the chance to stop running.

"Yes. Senator Organa is covertly arranging for any surviving Jedi to rendezvous at Polis Massa. I came to find you after Obi-Wan told me about what happened at the temple." She turned around then, uncertain if she should have said anything about Obi-Wan.

"He probably thinks I've turned to the Sith. He'll never stop hunting me." Anakin hung his head in shame, more tears on the verge of falling from his eyes. _Wait a moment…Obi-Wan is nearby. _"He's here." He watched as Padmé tensed with fear. Not for herself, but for him. "He probably used you to locate me."

Padmé turned to him. "I can't lose you, Ani. Not now. Not again."

A set of footfalls could be heard from the Nubian ship. Padmé's fear was replaced by anger when she saw who it was. Anakin had to hold her back from attacking Obi-Wan, but he could not stop her from lashing out verbally: "You! I can't believe you used me! What am I? Some pawn in your quest to find Anakin?"

Had Anakin not been so ashamed at himself, he probably would have been just as furious as she. Instead, he readied himself for death. Obi-Wan was here to kill him. And he deserved that fate. He listened as Obi-Wan replied to Padmé, whose shoulders he encircled with his natural arm: "I know, and I apologize for my deception. Master Yoda ordered me to stop Anakin. But I had to find him first. Deceiving you was the only method I knew would succeed."

"So, you've come to kill me, master." It was more of a statement than a question.

Obi-Wan turned to him. "I came to stop a Sith Lord from wreaking havoc across the galaxy. But I don't sense the lust for power in you Anakin."

To Anakin's surprise, Obi-Wan moved towards him, and clasped him by his free shoulder. "You are full of surprises, Anakin. I should have kept my faith in you. You've never let me down before."

"Thank you, Master." Anakin thought for a moment before continuing. "I know it may be difficult, but I hope there is something I can do to receive your forgiveness me for my actions."

Obi-Wan shook his head. Anakin's features drooped in disappointment. "You still have much to learn. You've come back from the Dark Side. An almost impossible feat. You do not have to do anything else to earn my forgiveness. Palpatine mislead you; used you…" Anakin's head fell even further. "…But you discovered that. And overcame his manipulation. But so as to prove it to you, I do forgive you, Anakin."

Anakin looked up again at Obi-Wan. "Thank you, Master."

-

Obi-Wan nodded, then turned to Padmé, whose eyes shone with relief. "We should leave now. We have a rebellion to form, and you both have children to think of."

He let both Anakin and Padmé, who were holding each other tightly, board the ship first, shortly followed by Artoo, who had been a silent witness to the last ten minutes. He looked on with pride as his former Padawan finished ascending the entry ramp. _You were right Qui-Gon. If he can overcome his own darkness, he may yet still bring balance._

He began his own ascent as the starships engines fired, then roared to life. The ramp began to close as he reached the main deck, and the ship lifted from the ground, leaving Mustafar, and its darkness, behind.

END


End file.
